‘Motherland’ review: An ominous portrait of the oppressive culture of cruelty in Post-Soviet Belarus on March 20, 2023The very first words in the Belarusian national anthem, which is being sung devoutly at an army graduation ceremony as “Motherland” begins, are “We Belarusians are peaceful people.” It does not take long for the irony to bite. Grave skies heavy with snow frame the stark beauty of Siarhiej Kanaplianik’s camerawork, as Hanna Badziaka and […]
Imagining recent meal as larger than reality might reduce snacking: Research By: Agencies on March 20, 2023In an experiment involving 151 participants, the researchers found that imagining a meal as larger and more filling than reality resulted in 24g fewer biscuits being eaten later – equivalent to approximately two biscuits, or 122kcal fewer. The ‘meal-recall effect,’ or recalling a recent meal, can limit the amount of food a person would consume […]
Germany uses robots for elder healthcare By: Agencies on March 20, 2023The white-coloured humanoid “Garmi” does not look much different from a typical robot – it stands on a platform with wheels and is equipped with a black screen on which two blue circles acting as eyes are attached. But retired German doctor Guenter Steinebach, 78, said: “For me, this robot is a dream.” Not only […]
‘Pearl’ review: unmissable art house horror will paralyse you with fear on March 20, 2023I’m gonna be a star. One day everyone’s gonna know my name…” It’s a line that anyone who’s seen last year’s horror hit X will remember – the same line repeated by Mia Goth across two incredible films and three stand-out roles. First playing a wannabe porn star in Ti West’s ’70s-set art house slasher, […]
Taylor Swift gives Eras tour her all By: Daily Times Monitor on March 19, 2023By Friday, there was a new destination in Arizona: Swift City,population 70,000 fans in town for the first stop on Taylor Swift’s Eras tour and designated by some of them on Google Maps as a place of worship. “Welcome to ERAzona,” the 33-year-old pop star’s publicist emailed me hours before the show, referring to one […]
‘Joy Ride’ — outrageous Asian American comedy gives fresh foursome a chance to cut loose on March 19, 2023In 1993, “The Joy Luck Club” made Hollywood history, proving to a sceptical – and let’s face it, racist – industry that there was mainstream demand for a culturally sensitive Chinese American ensemble drama. Three decades later, along comes “Joy Ride,” throwing sensitivity to the wind en route to obliterating any remaining barriers. Like “Girls […]
Now that’s a grand design! You’ll be treated like a friend at these splendid Wolsey Lodges on March 19, 2023Looking for an alternative to a traditional B&B? Try a Wolsey Lodge – often cheaper and certainly better value. There’s nothing corporate about them, either. The non-profit association, offering places to stay in the UK and Ireland, was founded 30-odd years ago by Procter Naylor, who believed that ‘an Englishman’s home, with its grandeur and […]
‘Motherland’ — an ominous portrait of the oppressive culture of cruelty in post-Soviet Belarus on March 19, 2023The very first words in the Belarusian national anthem, which is being sung devoutly at an army graduation ceremony as “Motherland” begins, are “We Belarusians are peaceful people.” It does not take long for the irony to bite. Grave skies heavy with snow frame the stark beauty of Siarhiej Kanaplianik’s camerawork, as Hanna Badziaka and […]
Books that shed light on contemporary Pakistan By: Staff Report on March 18, 2023History, Memory, Fiction New Dimensions in Contemporary Pakistani And Kashmiri Writings David Waterman History, Memory, Fiction proposes an examination of several contemporary novels and memoirs of leading Pakistani and Kashmiri writers, considering them as historical fiction, in other words as works that are based on real-world facts, but as fiction are able to go further […]
The Galapagos Islands may be a trek but nowhere in the world has such an array of wildlife on March 18, 2023Iguanas laze in the airport garden. Finches flit about the departure lounge. Sea lions make a noisy welcome party at the boat pier where sharks lurk in the shallows and blue-footed boobies show off their diving prowess, hitting the water at 60mph. It’s the greatest show on earth – and I’ve only just landed on […]